Safety closure for containers



.04. 14, 1969 D, SLAC ETAL 3,412,409

SAFETY CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 21. 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I; 36 'ijf f i 15 Lily 122 /15 VENTU/QE Mi:

Oct. 14, 1969 J. D. SLACK HAL 3,472,409

SAFETY CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 21. 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 37 Hi7 Z8 Oct. 1969 J. D. SLACK ETAL 3,472,409

SAFETY CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Dec.'21. 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet .5

United States Patent US. Cl. 215-9 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to new and useful improvements in safety closures for containers and, more specifically, :for a closure cap for containers where the COI1tents maybe drugs or chemicals and where it is desired to prevent children from removing the caps or to prevent the removal of the cap by any person or persons inadvertently. The device is of such construction, combination and arrangement of parts as only one with knowledge of the sequence of disengagement of the safety closure could successfully remove the device from the container. It has generally been accepted in the previous state of the art that a safety closure device he of an unchangeable, fixed arrangement which, once incorporated as a closure device on a container, was not acceptable to any further modification. Our invention overcomes these deficiencies in offering the possibilities of several versions while, at all times, remaining a closure for a container which is liquid proof and air tight. In its simplest form, on a plastic container, it is possible to mould the locking arrangement, that is teeth and wings, as a part of the container when the closure cap simply screws on to complete a locked safety closure. In this form it is a one-part safety closure device. On a glass or metal container its simplest form is where the locking ring is slipped over the neck of the container onto locating studs and when the closure cap is screwed on it completes a safety closure. In this case it is a two part device. Where maximum security is required a safety collar is added and in this form it is a three part device.

An advantage of the invention is that, where a user suffers an encumbrance in the use of the hands, the locking arrangement can be removed whereupon the closure becomes a conventional screw-cap closure which is liquid proof and air tight. Besides having several possible forms of manufacture in its mechanical form it can be readily adapted not only for varying sizes of screw-capped containers but for others such as the aerosol type.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in safety closures for containers and, more specifically, for a closure cap for containers where the contents may be drugs or chemicals and where it is desired to prevent children from removing the caps or to prevent the removal of the cap by any person or persons inadvertently. The device is of such construction, combination and arrangement of parts as only one with knowledge of the sequence of disengagement of the safety closure could successfully remove said device from the container.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a substantially tamper-proof safety closure of the character herewithin described which although it has a two stage locking action, it is nevertheless, easily manipulable to engage and disengage from the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described, which is eminently suitable for manufacture in plastic, and for use on containers of either glass, metal or plastic, and, being of durable materials, would be of an indefinite life so as to encourage its re-use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device ICC of the character herewithin described, which, though having extensions, is so arranged that it takes no more shelf space than the normal container and is of a readily acceptable relative size to said container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described, which, is a locked, airtight closure, for liquids or solids for a container and renders the opening of a container equipped with the device a definite intentional act thereby eliminating a person, or persons, from using the contents unintentionally.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described, which, while being secured by two locking actions, a primary and a secondary, is of such design that, where there are no children or where the user may suffer some encumbrance or hindrance in the use of the hands, the secondary lock can be removed without any deterioration of the sealing action of the closure. Such removal converts the closure to a conventional screw cap for a container.

With the foregoing in view, and all those objects, purposes and advantages which may become apparent from consideration of this disclosure and specification, the present invention consists of the inventive concept embodied in the method, process, construction, arrangements of parts or new use of same, as herein particularly exemplitied in one or more specific embodiments of such concept, reference being had to the accompanying figures in which:

FIGURE 1 is front elevation of upper portion of container showing closure device in assembled condition.

FIGURE 2 represents elevated cross section of safety closure.

FIGURE 3 is elevated view of safety cap.

FIGURE 4 is bottom plan view of safety cap.

FIGURE 5 is cross section of safety collar taken at line 5--5 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 6 is bottom plan view of safety collar.

FIGURE 7 is elevated view of locking ring.

FIGURE 8 is top plan view of locking ring.

Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in detail, reference should first be made to FIGURE 1 which shows the embodiment of the invention.

Device consists of a cylindrical container neck 11 with an annular rim 17 and having single or multiple thread segments 16 for mating with closure cap 12 and having locking ring locating studs 20 which are diametrically opposed and externally positioned in area above annular rim 17 on upper container neck 19. Said annular rim will prevent any axial movement when closure unit is assembled.

Moulded locking ring 14, (the secondary lock), having recesses or apertures 23 in its cylindrical Wall, which radially encloses upper container neck 19 in area adjacent to annular rim 17, for accepting locating studs 20. Said cylindrical wall is of such internal diameter as to provide a locational fit around locating studs, thereby preventing any axial or radial movement of locking ring 14 upon upper container neck 19. Protruding externally and upwardly from said cylindrical wall are two teeth 21, diametrically opposed and identical to each other, which when locating studs 20 are positioned within apertures 23 of locking ring 14, and, when cap 12 is in closed position, will locate within cutouts 27 of skirt 24 of cap 12. Teeth 21, as seen from FIGURES 7 and 8 are provided with the following features: One flank of tooth, that which opposes unscrewing direction, presents a vertical plane 38 which is toed out 39 causing teeth to thrust inward should an attempt be made to unscrew cap without withdrawing said teeth 21 from cutouts 27. Top of inner face of said tooth is bevelled 40 to facilitate the penetration of bevelled end 28 of skirt 24 between said teeth 21 and outer wall of upper container neck 19 during closure. Should a finer pitch of thread be used on container neck and cap, one which may require several turns of the cap to reach its fully closed position, inner face of tooth is backed off outwardly which will permit tooth to be pushed out of skirt cutouts 27 by corresponding angle on leading edge of said cutouts on continued turning of cap, teeth 21 riding on bevelled end 28 of skirt 24 until cap completes its sealing action. Teeth 21 have wing-like extensions which, upon application of downward pressure, will fold inward and, by lever action, withdraw locking teeth 21 from skirt cutouts 27 allowing subsequent unscrewing of cap 12. Should no locking action be desired or where the user suffers from any encumbrance or hindrance to the use of the hands, locking ring 14, (the secondary lock), can be removed from the upper container neck thereby converting closure cap 12 to a conventional screw cap for container.

Cap 12, being provided with a conventional seal 32, and having a skirt 24 which is provided with diametrically opposed cutouts 27 within its lower portion for accepting locking teeth 21. Interior wall of skirt 24 has single or multiple thread segments 36 for mating with thread segments 16 on upper container neck 19. The exterior wall of skirt 24 is beveled at its lower end 28 to facilitate its penetration between locking teeth 21 and exterior wall of upper container neck 19 when closure cap 12 is screwed down on container neck. Closure plate 30 forming upper end closure of cap 12 is of greater diameter than portion of skirt between said closure plate and bevelled end 28. Diameter of upper end of said bevel is greater than that of skirt thereby forming a lip 29 which serves to hold safety collar 13 captive on cap 12 between radially expanded closure plate 30 and said lip 29. Upper end part of skirt 24 adjacent to radially extended closure plate 30 bears a multiplicity of external splines 25 which are so arranged that safety collar 13 can be raised only after its internal splines 26 are matched with their opposite number. External splines 25 are of such length that they permit unhindered radial movement of safety collar 13 when said collar is in closed position, i.e., when bearing on lip 29 thereby enclosing locking teeth 21 which are seated in cutouts 27 and preventing their withdrawal.

Safety collar 13 (the primary lock), consists of a cylindrical sleeve, open at its lower end, with a shoulder at its upper end, the inner diameter of which is less than the outer diameter of lip 29 thereby holding safety collar 13 captive upon assembly onto cap skirt 24. The height of .the shoulder is such as to permit a loose fit between lip 29 and lower end of splines 25. The inner wall of said shoulder is provided with internal splines 26 which correspond in number and arrangement with external splines 25. The outside diameter of said safety collar 13 is equal to the outer diameter of closure plate 30, both may be provided with finger grips so that they may be gripped simultaneously, when safety collar is in open position, i.e., when splines 25 and 26 are engaged and said collar is raised to its uppermost limit, for transmission of torque when applying or removing closure cap to and from container.

To assemble the device the locking ring 14 is first fitted to the upper container neck 19. The said ring locating stud recesses 23 being seated on the locating studs with the locking teeth 21 uppermost. Preparatory to screwing closure cap 12 on container neck, safety collar 13 is rotated upon cap skirt 24 until internal splines 26 are mated with external splines 25, which will then permit said safety collar to be raised to open position i.e., until its upper face abuts underside of radial extension of closure plate 30. Cap 12 can then be screwed downward onto container neck whereupon bevelled end 28 of skirt 24 penetrates between locking teeth 21 and external wall of upper container neck 19 with bevelled face 40 of said teeth riding on bevelled end 28 of skirt 24 until locking position is reached when skirt cutouts 27 are lined up with teeth 21 allowing said teeth to spring inward and be seated within said cutouts forming secondary safety lock. Cap 12 cannot now be unscrewed unless teeth 21 are withdrawn from skirt cutouts 27. Such withdrawal is prevented by safety collar 13 which, when teeth 21 have entered and are seated in skirt cutouts 27, is moved downward until its shoulder rests on lip 29 and, with splines no longer engaging, allowing safety collar 13 to be rotated again, thereby effecting the primary safety lock, caused by cylindrical wall of said safety collar 13 enclosing skirt cutouts 27 wherein are seated teeth 21.

To open closure, safety collar 13 is first rotated until external splines 25 can be engaged with internal splines 26 when safety collar 13 is moved axially until its upper edge abuts underside of radial extension of closure plate 30, which then uncovers skirt cutouts 27 permitting teeth 21 to be withdrawn via lever action caused by depression of wings 15 and, when teeth 21 have cleared skirt 24, further permitting closure cap 12 to be unscrewed.

What we claim as new is:

1. A substantially tamper proof closure device for a container which is provided with a cylindrical neck having an annular rim adjacent to the base thereof, this rim also preventing axial movement of the locking ring with closure unit assembled, being exteriorly screw threaded at its upper portion and having a multiplicity of locating studs being located between its screw threaded portion and the said annular rim, and being diametrically opposed, for the purpose of locating the locking ring teeth relative to the cut-outs in the skirt of closure cap with the cap in closed position, these locating studs also serve to retain, in a locational fit, the locking ring, bearing the said teeth, captive on upper container neck.

2. A subsantially tamper proof closure device for a container which is provided with a cylindrical neck having an annular rim and being screw threaded exteriorly at its upper portion and having a multiplicity of locating studs diametrically opposed and where, around the said neck a moulded locking ring is fitted, having a cylindrical wall, which, in a locational fit circumferentially encloses upper container neck in area between screw threaded portion and annular rim which prevents axial movement of the locking ring with closure unit assembled, the said cylindrical wall being provided with apertures or recesses within which project the locating studs which position the locking teeth relative to the cutouts in cap skirt when the cap is in the closed position and where the outer perimeter of the said cylindrical wall of the locking ring is provided with a multiplicity of integrally moulded locking teeth, diametrically opposed, which project upwardly and externally, which, at their lower end, have integrally formed wings protruding outwardly and below the closure ca when said cap is in closed position on the container neck.

3. A substantially tamper proof closure device for a container provided with a cylindrical neck having an annular rim and being screw threaded exteriorly at its upper portion and having a multiplicity of locating studs diametrically opposed and fitted with a moulded locking ring and having a closure cap on which the interior of its cylindrical wall is provided with screw threads for mating with the exteriorly threaded portion of the upper container neck and Where the lower end of the closure cap is bevelled, containing within that bevel two diametrically opposed cutouts for receiving the locking teeth positioned on outer perimeter of the locking ring when closure cap is fully screwed downwardly upon container neck and where the upper end of the bevel adjoins externally circumferentially constricted portion of cylindrical wall of cap thereby forming a lip, and where upper end closure plate of closure cap expands radially beyond that so defined cylindrical wall to a diameter equal to the outer diameter of the safety collar and where, between the said lip and the radially expanded end closure plate, is held captive a safety collar which when assembled to the cap is free to move either radially or axially subject to the splines which extend downwardly from the radially expanded end closure plate and exteriorly on external cylindrical wall of cap which are so arranged that they will allow only one mating position in 360 of radial movement of the safety collar, thereby permitting the collar to be moved axially, uncovering teeth of locking ring located in the cutouts of the cap skirt, permitting teeth to be withdrawn, freeing the closure cap, which can then be unscrewed from the container neck by gripping simultaneously the upper end closure plate and the safety collar, with the splines transmitting the torque from the collar to the cap and where the length of the splines on the cap cylindrical wall is such as to permit radial movement of the safety collar only when lower interior face of circumferentially constricted shoulder of said collar abuts the upper external face of the lip of the cap skirt.

4. A substantially tamper proof closure device for a container provided with a cylindrical neck having an annular rim and being screw threaded exteriorly at its upper portion and having a multiplicity of locating studs diametrically opposed and fitted with a moulded locking ring and having a closure cap which is interiorly screw threaded and having an upper end closure plate to the cap, radially expanding beyond externally, circumferentially, constricted cylindrical wall adjacent thereto, with a lip, formed by upper end of bevel forming lower end of the cap skirt, which extends radially beyond the said cylindrical of the closure cap, at its lower end and where the exterior of the wall is provided with a multiplicity of external splines and'where, on this wall, by means of the expanded upper end closure plate and the lower end lip, is held captive, when assembled, a safety collar, consisting of a cylindrical sleeve the outer diameter of which corresponds to that of upper end closure plate of cap, open at its lower end with the uper end of the sleeve being formed by a shoulder, the internal diameter of which is less than the external diameter of upper end of bevel forming lip exteriorly of cap skirt and where the height of the said shoulder is such that it will permit unobstructed radial movement of the safety collar when it is in locked position, with said sleeve extending downwardly circumferentially enclosing the bevel of cap skirt t within which the cutouts containing teeth of locking ring are located, preventing their withdrawal, and when the said shoulder is between the lower end of splines on cylindrical wall of cap and the lip of said cap skirt with the lower interior face of the shoulder abutting the upper exterior face of the said lip and where the interior cylindrical wall of the shoulder is provided with a multiplicity of splines which correspond in number and arrangement to the splines exteriorly positioned on wall of the cap, which afford only one mating position in 360 of radial movement of the safety collar and with splines of the collar lined-up relative with the splines of the cap, the safety collar can then be moved axially upwards to its uppermost limit uncovering the teeth of the locking ring,

permitting the teeth to be withdrawn, unlocking the clo- I sure cap, preparatory to unscrewing cap from the container neck with the splines transmitting the torque from safety collar to closure cap.

5. A substantially tamper proof closure device for a container provided with a cylindrical neck, having an annular rim and being screw threaded exteriorly at its upper portion to receive interiorly threaded closure cap, said cap being bevelled externally at its lower end, and containing within the bevel two cutouts for receiving diametrically opposed locking teeth integrally moulded upon outer perimeter of locking ring, which, in a locational fit, circumferentially encloses the upper portion of the container neck in the area between the exterior screw threads and the annular rim, with a multiplicity of externally positioned and diametrically opposed locating studs upon the upper container neck and projecting within the cylindrical wall of the said locking ring, thereby preventing any axial or radial movement of the locking ring upon the container neck and where, moulded integrally and protruding outwardly from the teeth of the locking ring are wing-like extensions which, upon application of downward pressure fold inward, withdrawing the teeth from the cutouts in the closure cap skirt and where the characteristics of the teeth are that one flank, that which opposes the unscrewing direction, presents a vertical plane toed outward, which is parallel to the opposing plane on the cutout in the skirt of the closure cap, this will cause the teeth to be thrust inward should unscrewing of closure cap be attempted prior to withdrawing the teeth from the cutouts and the inner face of the tooth is bevelled at the apex to facilitate penetration of the closure cap between outer wall of upper container neck and the said teeth when the closure cap is screwed downwardly upon the neck and the inner faces are backed-off outwardly to allow the closure ca to push teeth out of cutouts, to ride on bevelled end of the cap skirt if more than one revolution to :seal container is necessary.

6. A substantially tamper proof closure device for a container provided with a cylindrical neck, having an annular rim and being screw threaded exteriorly at its upper portion to receive interiorly threaded closure cap, the cap being bevelled externally at its lower end, and containing within that bevel two cutouts for receiving the diametrically opposed locking teeth which are integrally moulded upon outer perimeter of the locking ring which, in a locational fit, circumferentially encloses the upper portion of the container neck in the area between the exterior screw threads and the annular rim, with a multiplicity of externally positioned and diametrically opposed locating studs upon the upper container neck and projecting within the cylindrical wall of the locking ring, thereby preventing any radial or axial movement of the locking ring upon the said neck and where, on the locking ring there are, moulded integrally and protruding outwardly from the teeth are winglike extensions so designed that, when downward pressure is applied, they fold inward and, through lever action, withdraw the teeth from the cutouts in cap skirt within which they are seated, where, when the teeth are seated in the cutouts, the secondary lock is accomplished and where, with downward pressure, the wings act as levers distorting the locking ring causing the teeth to be withdrawn from the cap skirt cutouts permitting closure cap to be unscrewed.

7. A substantially tamper proof closure device for a container provided with a cylindrical neck, having an annular rim and being screw threaded exteriorly at its upper portion to receive interiorly threaded closure cap, said cap being bevelled externally at its lower end and containing within the bevel two cutouts for receiving the diametrically opposed locking teeth integrally moulded upon the outer perimeter of the locking ring which, in a locational fit, circumferentially encloses the said upper portion of the conatiner neck in area between the exterior screw threads and the annular rim, with a multiplicity of externally positioned and diametrically opposed locating studs upon the said upper container neck and projecting within the cylindrical wall of the locking ring, thereby preventing any radial or axial movement of the locking ring upon the upper container neck, and where, when no locking action is desired, the locking ring may be removed and, in doing so, converts closure cap into a conventional screw cap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,019,931 2/1962 Thornton 2l59 3,027,035 3/1962 Farago 2159 3,233,769 2/1966 Jessop 215-9 3,390,799 7/1968 Szekely 215-9 GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 2l5-98 

